glorified it with Dominion and Peace And consider what Law or Learning David had when he came from feeding the Sheep being but a youth and what weapon had he when he slew the uncircumcised Philistine more than the smooth stone in the Shepherds Bag he that can read let him without Staffe or Spear in the Name of the Lord. And they marvailed to see the boldness of Peter and John who were ignorant and unlearned men in their Laws and Letters and the Pharisees said The Disciples of Jesus know not the Law and also of him Whence hath this man learning seeing he knoweth not Letters Thus did God confound the wisdome of the wise and prudent in Ages past as in this Age who hath alway chosen the foolish things of this world that no flesh or fleshly part should glory in his presence Therefore Dear Friends Let no Babe or simple one among you be discouraged who are ignorant in the outward Lawes and Letters but keep to the Royal Law in the heart written by the Finger of the living God in which you will feel the springings up of the Royal Seed and Birth which fulfils the righteous Law and Letters and was before the Letters and Lawes of men was whose heart trusteth only in the living God and makes not flesh his Arme. This is the true Seed the Heir But that which makes flesh his Arme is the Seed of evill doers which shall never be renowned And so my dear Friends in all things mind the leadings and counsel of God for he leads his people and guides their feet in the way of peace and he alone is the saving health of all Nations and without him they can do nothing that is good and acceptable in his sight and let your eyes be toward him who is invisible dwelling in the light and neither act or speak out of his fear and counsel then will you be preserved to his praise and to your eternal comfort and peace and whether you eat or drink or whatever you doe let all be done in the Faith to the glory of God for what is not of faith is sin so shall you be kept stedfast on the unmoveable Rock through and over all things which may come to pass as your tryals and be upheld in the meek and quiet spirit which in Gods sight is of great price And in this is the Kingdome and patience of Jesus and the victory of the Lamb known who must Rule and Reigne till all his enemies are put under his Feet Amen To the Blessed Seed and Children of the Everlasting Holy Covenant in the Life of the Lamb of God in whose mouth is found no guile throughout the whole Creation A most dear and tender Salutation O Thou Blessed Seed of the promise who hast long lain as in the Clefts of the Rocks and hast been as a stranger throughout the whole world and yet lyes as a Lamb slain in the streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually my soul breaths cryes and groans unto the living God for thy sake and I am in sorrow and pain as a woman in travel because of thy great oppressions who knoweth thy sorrows thy griefs and thy secret complaints who knoweth thy sighs thy groans and thy tears amongst the children of men who art as a worm in the lowest parts of the earth bearing the weights and heavy pressures of the iniquity thereof To whom canst thou turn to the right hand or left to unbosome thy self in the depth of thy inward travels but onely to the living fountain from whence thou sprang O O thou Lamb of God which takes away the sin and removes the foundations of the Earth when wilt thou yet arise more in thy beauty and glory among the sons of men to bear the Government on thy shoulders whose right it is That thou mayest lead them forth in the green pastures by the fountain of still waters that thy innocency tenderness and love unfeigned might be known as the waters cover the Sea For thou art without guile the alone pure and undefiled one thou art harmless as a Dove thou art the chiefest of ten thousands thou art altogether lovely the world knoweth thee not thou art as a Lilly among Thorns and as an Apple Tree amongst the Trees of the Forrest thy smell is as Lebanon and thy taste exceeds the Pomgranates O thou fairest among the Sons and thou beautifullest among the Daughters What shall I say of thee O thou Beloved of my soul I am even sick of love my soul is even melted in the breathings of thy precious life and I am even ravished with love in thy presence for thy Countenance is exceeding the Angels of God thou art terrible as an Army with Banners to the ungodly but thou delightest in the upright humble and contrite ones thou art my Saviour in whom my soul rejoyceth and my spirit doth magnifie thee O thou everlasting Son of Righteousnesse Arise arise shine forth in thy strength and glory and drive back all the Clouds of darknesse which have covered the Earth and the grosse darknesse which hath covered the People that the glory of thy Light may enlighten the world and thy brightnesse may shame and confound the glory of all flesh that thy dominion might be known throughout the whole Earth which is an everlasting dominion and thy Kingdome of Righteousness which hath no end that the Nations may come to the glory of thy Light and Kings to the brightnesse thereof to Rule in thine Eternal Counsel Wisdome Dominion and Victory over all that songs of praises deliverance and triumph for ever and ever may be founded unto thee who wast dead and art alive and livest for evermore casting down all their Crowns at thy feet for thou alone art worthy to Rule and Reign and to have all Honour Glory Strength Wisdome Riches and Blessing For thou wert slain because of our sins and art now arising to redeem thy People out of Kindreds Tongues and Nations by thy blood and art becoming King of Kings and Lord of Lords in us thy Babes and Children thou art the Tree of life in the midst of the Garden of God by thy vertue must the Nations be healed thou art the Pearl of great price thy worth is not to be valued with fine Cold thou art far above Rubies thou hast been a Treasure hid in the field dwelling in the lower parts of the Earth and yet above the highest Heavens both which thou hast upheld to this day by thy power thou art the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the world though they have not known thee but trampled thee under foot as a despicable thing thy face hath been marred more than any mans and thy form more than the sons of men thou art that Just One and holy Childe which hath long been as a Servant though by right art Lord of all on thy back hath the Ploughers ploughed long furrows oh how have the Smiters smitten at the appearance of the lifting
in thine own house And the sheep that was Lost brought home upon shoulders of the good Shepherd who laid down his life for their sakes And when the Lord withdrew his presence for a little moment was not thine heart troubled and couldst thou be satisfied till thou hadst found him again whom thy soul loved And when thou hadst found him didst thou not say in thine heart This is my beloved this is my friend I will hold him fast and not let him go untill he hath brought me into the house of her that bare him or into the Land of rest in which is peace joy comfort and satisfaction for evermore Didst not thou rejoyce when Moses came to Pharaoh King of Egypt the Land of Bondage and Darkness and Charged him to let thee go though it were but three dayes Journey into the Wilderness because of the heavy Burthens and sore Afflictions which thou enduredst under the oppressing Task-masters of the uncircumcised But didst thou think what would befall thee in the Wilderness the many holes and pits and turnings among the wild beasts in drought hunger and sore travell Yet how did the Lord allure thee and then many times spake comfortably unto thee And led thee by a right way though it seemed hard and strange unto the murmurer and to that spirit which would have made a Captain to return back into Egypt that Land of Darkness and Bondage on which the plagues were poured forth because of the oppression of his seed Therefore hear O Israel and consider who is a God like unto thy God or what man was able to do these things which the Lord hath done for thee by his own Arme which he stretched forth and revealed in the midst of thee who gave thee Precepts Commandements Statutes and Judgements to direct guide counsel instruct and strengthen thee in the way thou shouldest walk which is none other then that which first appeared for thy deliverance though its Name was then known no greater then I AM or the Light of Israel which did after become a flame and the holy One as a fire to consume and destroy his and thine enemies round about This is he who said I am God I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed This is thy God who commanded thee saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me nor make forme or grave any likeness or Image to bow down unto For I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God and will visit the iniquity and sins of all them that transgresse against my Commandements Therefore take heed that thou bow not or give thine heart mind and affections unto any thing visible or invisible but to the Lord thy God alone whose Name is but one and changeth not even the Light which makes manifest all things and divides the Darkness from it and hath no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes and workers therein but doth reprove them though never so secret and will not hold him guiltlesse who taketh his name in vaine And all they who depart not from iniquity and whose tongues are not bridled ruled or subjected by the power of the Lord and who are not thereby guided in wisdome meekness and fear such take the Name of the Lord in vaine such are guilty and shall so appeare before God Angels and men For as I said the day hastens in which no shadow of death or secret dark place though as deep as hell or as high as the starres of heaven shall be able to hide the worker of wickedness under the fairest Covering The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Therefore again hear O Israel and repair with speed every man to his Tent and none look out but all feel and see the glory of the Lord God which is like devouring fire at thy Tent door burning up all that which is contrary to him that thou mayst be preserved in this day of the Lords Passeover who is not onely passing over but also through the very hearts reines and Consciences of the Children of men with his grounded Staffe yea even searching and trying to the ground and bottom of all foundations and buildings And he will fight with the contrary the dark mountaines the false foundations and deceitfull Coverings with Battles of shakings of totterings of stripings and rentings yea the vaile shall be rent from the top to the bottom though it be in the very Temple it self that they that have lyen in their graves may arise and come forth and that he might appeare before the eyes of all to be the Son of God in whom is no guile who humbled himself to the death of the Crosse and through it came to Triumph over principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places This is thy Captain O Israel therefore think not of another nor make another nor forme any likeness of him or of any thing in heaven or in earth for there is not another whom thou art to worship follow or subject unto but him alone at whose presence the vails rent and the dead arise and at whose Birth and coming the heavenly hoast sing for Joy but the Tribes of the earth mourne he that hath an ear to hear let him hear who is now come with power and great glory in the Clouds of heaven not of the earth to reward every man equally according to his workes and words without respect of persons For he is a righteous and just God he is not as a man that he should change alter or vary from what he was in the beginning who by his power is able to raise up Children unto Abraham at this day of them that have lyen among the pots Therefore let your eyes look toward his holy place whence he ariseth to silence all flesh before him and cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills and is as a worme and dust before him And know this that thy God who raised thee to be a people above all the Families of the Earth and hath given thee great dominion that if thou shalt exalt thy self and say This thou hast done and the other thou hast done and secretly take the honour and glory to thy self and listest thine heare up out of the uprightness and integrity before him and shall slight his mercies and not walke humbly in his sight but forget his wonderfull workes and to ascribe the glory 〈◊〉 unto his Name That he then is able to rent the Kingdome from thee and give thee a beasts heart and drive thee out to seed with Oxen even among the beasts of the field And this God will manifest on such as he hath divers times amongst the sons of men That all flesh may feare and tremble before him and bow at his Name which must and shall be exalted above every Name and ascribe acknowledgments of mercy righteousness power and glory unto him for evermore For this is the same God that set a Print upon Jobs heels and marked all his steps whose
shew them his way and guide them in it which is a way of holiness mercy and truth and that they might alway fear and dread his great Name and terrible Majesty who is able to do whatsoever he will in the Heavens and in the Earth and that they might through his judgements come to be redeemed and reconciled unto him in Christ the everlasting Covenant of life and peace Therefore my dear Friends Wait you upon God and let him be your fear and your dread then will you not dread man or rather the furies of wilde Beasts or Serpents which is manifest in the sons of men neither let in the fear of death or any tryal whatsoever which tends to the vailing or weakning your tender life which you have felt and enjoyed in God but let the presence of the Mighty God of worm Jacob fill your hearts who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell and also to save to the uttermost all them that fear and obey him that you may feelingly and perfectly know and understand in the light of the Lord all things that comes to passe in your particulars then shall you be of a right and sound judgement concerning all men spirits and things in the general for none can truly know the Cause Ground or Root of a matter originally but who dwels in God the Root that bears him and all men the original of life and he that doth not know aright may easily or soon judge wrong Therefore it s the Saints onely amongst all the children of men that are able and can and must judge the world Mark who are sanctified by Christ Jesus yea such shall judge Angels who dwell in him to whom they all bow for he is judge of quick and dead and from him is no secret hid that shall not be manifest For he is come neer to judgement and is a swift witnesse against all unrighteousnesse and also his tender mercies and blessings are neer the upright-hearted which is to them as the former and latter rain but the rebellious dwell in a dry Land So be you all very still in your minds and not will or run but diligently heed the will and counsel of the motions of Gods good Spirit in you which is the onely Teacher of his people for he hath said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man and he is the true Physitian Shepherd and Overseer of the soul and will he not over-see and take care for the body the lesser by giving wisdom and discretion how to order all his creatures to his praise yea and this is witnessed among his babes blessed and praised for ever be his name which is their strong Tower and Safety Rock and Defence and they need not another who are come to dwell in the Holy City New Jerusalem that came down from God the quiet habitation whose walls are peace and gates praise and salvation here is no need of Candle Sun or Moon to give light but the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And hither is the Lord God of endless wisdom and compassions bringing his little ones that beleeve and trust alone in him who is becoming all in all in his faithful children this is the sum my Friends this is that we have waited for to which end the Lord hath long waited to be more and more manifesting his grace and wisdome unto us that we might come up hither by descending lower in our selves into him who is the root and off-spring what shall I say of him if it can be born I could say much in the infallible counsel of God that he is becoming the Father and Mother Feeder and Cloather Healer Guider and Governour yea all as I have said unto his dear Lambs who have long breathed and panted after him and cannot be fully satisfied till this is accomplished No borrowed light no Moon or Candle will suffice the Noble birth but the very glory of God and the marriage of the Lamb to whom it ascribes all having received all out of the bosome of the eternal treasury of the wisdom and compassions of the Allmighty And so here is a cry heard with a loud voyce from the Throne of God and the Lamb Cease from man cease from man in all things and come up hither ye travelling children and you shall be refreshed and satisfied it s I have heard your cryes and if men at any time have had compassion on you it was through my bowels which I put upon him to that end therefore look unto me and come I am the fountain of all goodness mercy and truth saith the Lord God and not any man for they are but as Cisterns which may break and then where wilt thou be for thy dayly nourishment and refreshment These were the two great evils committed in the dayes past viz They have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken Cisterns that could hold no water for which the Heavens were astonished and very desolate and afraid Is Israel a home-born slave read Jer. 2.11 12 13 14. and consider it perfectly for the latter dayes of considerations are come as much as if God had said Is Israel who once wrestled like a Prince and prevailed and had power with God and with man c. become so ignoble as to forsake me the Fountain and be satisfied now with Cisterns that will hold no water Oh! this was a horrible thing these were great evils the very Heavens were astonished at this Therefore my dear Friends let this saying sink deep into your hearts See that you alwayes in all things mind the Motions and Leadings of the Spirit of Truth for it is the true and perfect Guide sent of the Father to guide us into all Truth and to shew us things to come and he that follows any man by word or example and goes from this in himself hath committed a great evil even Idolatry and is gone from the hearkning and obeying this is the Witchcraft spoken of 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Gal. 3.1 This is not to be suffered to live or not to be lived in in all Israel Exod. 22.18 the Lord hath spoken it for worm Jacob who is now arising in the strength and pure wisdom of his God is no more a home-born slave to feed at Cisterns or live upon Husks or to be deceived with any likeness whatsoever but is filling himself at the living Fountain of the Riches Nobility at the right hand of the Majesty on high and so in vain is the snares laid in the sight of him that hath wings that sees them and is able to escape them for there is a Remnant that stands upon Mount Sion with the Lamb in the innocent life who are and can freely come to God the Judge of all be ript open and stand naked in the particular and such is the Lord God cloathing with white robes of his everlasting Righteousness which shall never
up of thy tender countenance When this I have considered my soul hath mourned in secret and mine eyes have trickled down tears in the sence of thy deep sufferings and yet had it not been for thy sake the whole world had been as Sodom and been consumed like unto Gomorrah Oh who will not now come down and suffer with thee that they may also reign with thee as Kings and Priests on the Earth For now thou art arising in the greatnesse of thy strength to be avenged on all thine oppressors Thou hast trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the People there was none with thee Therefore wilt thou trample them in thy fury and stain all thy Raiment for the day of vengeance is in thine heart and the year of thy redemptions is come Thou art the King of Sion thou hast the key of David and the keys of Death and of Hell who ridest meekly upon the wilde Asse Colt as in the dayes of old Come forth now O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and behold your King even the Lamb of God which hath been slain in whose mouth guile is not found that taketh away your sins and follow him for ever ye Daughters of Abraham and Sons of Jacob for it is of the Lords mercy you are not consumed because his compassions fail not toward his Seed but remains sure in his Covenant for evermore Amen Therefore now all ye followers of the Lamb be ye very still low and watchful dwelling in the pure dread and humility of him that sits upon the Throne and of the Lamb for evermore and let none be carelesse or wilful least ye be found in the degeneration from the spirit of the subjection of the Lamb of God who is come to Rule but in his life stand you upon Mount Sion with him with the Harps of his high praises in your hands for they onely are the chosen and blessed who are faithful followers of him in the Regeneration So let your eye be single and your minds retired dwelling in the good Shepherds Tent of Israel hid in him whom the world knows not where you will feel quietnesse to your immortal souls and peace and patience to undergo all tryals for this is a day of great and manifold temptations and tryals in which the enmity works every way in its full strength among the children of men but its violent force is chiefly bent as a mighty floud or full current to sink and destroy the Ark of the Testimony of God feel me in your life within and without ye dear children ye simple-hearted breathing babes who know the winnowings on every hand and how the Tempter works to draw out the mind and affections one way or other that he might get advantage to spoyle your resting place which you have in the staidnesse on God and simplicity of Christ and to keep the soul and understanding clouded in darknesse and unsensiblenesse hardnesse and blindnesse to be luke-warm carelesse or secure without the feeling and present enjoyment of the pure refreshing presence of Gods Countenance then he hath his purpose who seeks to devoure for in the darknesse is the root of disobedience and every evill word and work then the root of bitternesse will spring up through which many may be defiled then the self-will which is crooked and perverse ariseth again then the pure savour and discerning is decreased and love waxen cold then the tender innocent Seed suffers the Lamb is pierced and wounded which should have the preheminence then strife in the high mind out of Gods awe and dread gets up then the Strong Man begins to keep the house again who was once bound and his goods spoyled then the meek that should ride upon the wilde Asse Colt is thrown down and trampled upon by the wilde then Ishmael and Esau the ruffe man reign over worm Jacob. God Allmighty keep all his Babes who have tasted of his Heavenly gift and of the precious vertue of the endlesse life out of this state My soul is even bowed down and the travel of a burthen is upon me because of the deep sufferings of the Holy Seed and the oppressions of the poor by him that is too strong for him O Lord arise arise and plead its innocent cause with all flesh O all ye breathing Babes of God abide for ever in the pure subjection to his good and perfect will in his fear and in tendernesse of heart then how can you but partake of the afflictions of your Brethren the seed of Abraham It came into Moses heart and that from God to visit his poor afflicted brethren which cryed and groaned under the cruell and heavy oppressions and God rewarded him according to his works And now can the Seed and children thereof mourne and languish or be sorrowfull and I not feel it can they be tempted and tryed in the Wilderness and I not sensible thereof how can this be if I be in Christ Jesus who is afflicted in all their afflictions My friends it is a day of mourning of weeping and fasting let the wise understand though in God I rejoyce that my Name is written in heaven and this is more to know and feel then if all the Devills without were subject Therefore ye followers of the Lamb dwell in the sense and feeling of the life of the precious tender suffering Seed that you may know the marriage of the Lamb come and rejoyce greatly because of the Bridegroomes Voyce for this makes glad the upright and the weak to be as David And here you will eat your own bread from your Fathers hand which he gives freely to the hungry soul and be kept out of all strife and debate disputings and murmurings in the gentle contented Spirit of the Lamb who is the saving health of all his people Here you will know the place of broad Rivers where goes no Gally with Oares no toyl or labour or striving but to stand still Here is the beginning known and the Glory that was before the VVorld was or the Hills or the Foundation of the earth were laid blessed is he that readeth in the life of these things Here is the place of defence as the Munition of Rocks where the bread is sure and the water never fails but issueth forth from the Fountain of the Paradise of God for evermore Here is the lying down under the Vine where none can make afraid Blessings and thanks to him that lives for ever Here is the returning naked as we came into the World even so we go out carrying nothing and yet possesseth all things Here 's the little child that enters the Kingdome even that Kingdome of Heaven where the least is the greatest the lowest is the Highest the poorest is the richest the weakest is the strongest the simplest is the wisest VVhere is the disputer now where is the gloryer in the strength wisdome Arts and parts in the spirit of this world now VVhere are the wise and the Scribes and the counter of Towers now where is the high Professor and great talker in the strong Towers of comprehension and Imaginations now where are the climbers up above the Door now Behold a little child is Governour The poor man which was disregarded delivered the City by his wisdome He that can read let him for God hath made foolish the wisdome of this world and the seers are blind The sounding brass is empty the strong are become weak and the weak saith I am strong they that were dead are alive and them that were lively are now as dead men on the Sea-shore God is turning the world upside down the Lamb shall Rule and all the Beasts of the Forrest shall fear and bow before him The Lilly shall grow higher then the Cedar the begger shall sit upon the Throne and the Counseller as in the beginning shall be known and Judges as at the first Blessed is he that readeth understandeth and enjoyeth these things Gods salvation and Covenant of eternall life and peace is then witnessed who is the good Shepherd and true Physitian of his people And this is thy Captain O Israel who is made perfect through sufferings therefore obey thou him in all things follow him in his footsteps who leads in the way of Righteousness that so thou may be partaker of the power of his Resurrection and possesse thy soul in his patience and lye down in his eternall will in the rest prepared that so the second death over thee may have no power So my dear friends the Lord God of Life preserve you all faithfull bearing your single and pure Testimony for his holy Name in this your day and generation that you may be the chaste Virgins and entire followers of the Lamb in whose mouth guile is not found that so you may give up your account with chearfulness unto him who alone is worthy of all obedience praises honour and glory over all heaven and earth world without end Amen I remain a Traveller in spirit for the restoration of the oppressed seed of Jacob and am your brother who in your measures are in the same tribulations and patience of the Lamb. And unto you this is the dear salutation of my breathing life in the Bowels of Gods love and mercies And if in this my Testimony is finished I am content and made willing for the joy and rest that is set before me to lay down the earthen vessel which is called WILLIAM BAYLY Prisoner at Hartford the 2d day of the 8th month 1663. THE END